Sassuolo: Best Things to Do
SIGHTSEEING
One of the landmark of the historic town of Sassuolo is the Ducal Palace of Sassuolo. It’s a baroque villa built on the site of a medieval castle or Rocca back in the 15th century. It’s believed that the building’s exterior resembles those of Tuscan villas.
The palace is best known for its highly decorated interior frescoes. The Ducal Palace of Sassuolo is also famed for its breathtaking garden vistas and its fanciful 'Peschiera' or fish-tank. The Peschiera is a large rectangular pool surrounded by a boundary wall in the form of a ruined amphitheatre. Last but not least, the site is home to fountain sculptures based on the designs of Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
This baroque villa has turned into a space for contemporary art exhibitions since its piano nobile (the principal floor of a large house) underwent a restoration back in 2001.
Ducal Palace of Sassuolo
DOWNTOWN
Located in the heart of the town, Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi and its surrounding area retains some interesting examples of its pasts. This historic square has developed between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, showing the visitors the busy downtown of Sassuolo over the centuries.
The main symbols of the plaza are the Civic Tower a.k.a the bell tower and portico (a porch leading to the entrance of a building) which are quite picturesque. There are many exhibitions which changing seasonally at the square, ranging from an Italian cuisine festival to a football match screening.
Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi
SHOPPING
You can always take a lovely walk around the historic center full of shops and places and enjoy a good drink and food with your family or friends during your trip to Sassuolo. Some festivals and events are held at Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, and ones you shouldn’t miss are those held every Thursday evening in July and Fairs in October (every Sunday morning and afternoon).
In collaboration with merchants of the historic center, Sassuolo offers activities and initiatives in the streets during Fairs in October with different themes for each Sunday of the month. You can buy local products and delicacies on site and get great deals by bargaining! Nothing compares with the authentic shopping experience you can get on these occasions.
Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi
FOOD & DRINK
As one of regions in the Emilia-Romagna region famous for its gastronomy, Sassuolo offers you great Italian dishes in their restaurants and cafés. The cuisine from this region relies heavily on generous seasonings, olives, meats, fish, salami, and cheeses.
Some of the top-notch cuisine consisting these ingredients include Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and well-known pasta like lasagne, tagliatelle, cappelletti, and tortellini.
Sassuolo has a special drink native to the town called Sassolino (sometimes called Sassolino di Modena). It’s an anise-flavored liqueur whose flavor is derived from star anise. This liqueur first appeared in 1804. The liqueur is considered quite strong, containing 40% of alcohol.
CULTURE
The city is the center of Italian tile industry and one of the most important tile producers in the world. Marca Corona, the oldest ceramic in Sassuolo, has history which dates back to 1700s. The tile manufacturer produces best ceramics and always invent some new innovations which inspire a number of grand buildings around the world to use the products.
The building which shows you the long history of ceramic industry in Sassuolo is the Palazzina della Casiglia (Building of Casiglia). It’s home to Confindustria Ceramica which gives support and advice to member companies related with the business of ceramics and tiles.
Another thing you shouldn’t miss from the site is the Documentation Center of Italian Industry of Ceramic Tiles. The exhibits allow you to learn the technical aspects of ceramic processing in a chronological journey that goes from ancient times to the present day. On display are more than a thousand pieces of tiles, created by well-known designers, architects, artists and designers of the twentieth century and contemporary.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit Sassuolo is in May and October where the weather is good and pleasant, ranging between 20 degrees Celsius (68°F) and 25 degrees Celsius (77°F). The warmest months are July and August. July is also considered to be the driest month with an average maximum temperature of 31°C (87°F).
The coldest month is January with an average maximum temperature of 10°C (33°F), while November is the wettest month. This month should be avoided if you are not a big fan of rain.
HOTEL
Just a 20-minute walk from Sassuolo Station, Michelangelo Hotel offers free parking, air-conditioned rooms, and a restaurant specializing in dishes from the Emilia-Romagna region. The room includes some great amenities like a TV with satellite and pay-per-view channels, as well as a minibar and work desk.
There’s also an onsite restaurant namely Contessa Matilde offering a cozy atmosphere with its characteristic stone fireplace. The restaurant serves traditional Italian and regional cuisine.
For a lodging option with a spectacular hill view, Hotel Terme Salvarola is the best option you can choose. The elegant 4-star hotel is located in Salvarola Terme, one of the most popular spa towns of Emilia-Romagna, on the Sassuolo hill.
The hotel is surrounded by greenery and large vineyards which will please your stay. It offers a modern wellness center with spa treatments, beauty and detox programs. There’s also a fine dining onsite.
Michelangelo Hotel
Hotel Terme Salvarola
RESTAURANT
Situated inside of the palazzo Ducal Palace of Sassuolo, Ristorante Salone dei Cocchieri offers you great Italian and Mediterranean dishes starting from the appetizer to the dessert for your lunch and dinner. Due to the furniture, the indoor seating area may look like one in a wedding room, but the place is actually quite nice. It radiates the strong atmosphere of Emilia-Romagna dining experience.
If you’re looking for rich, fresh seafood menus, you can visit Sasol Café instead. The restaurant serves diner menus of Italian and Mediterranean seafood. It’s also a perfect place for you and your friends or family to throw a seafood party by ordering 13 appetizers at once! The Catalan menus are quite popular, so you definitely must try them!
Sasol Café
Ristorante Salone dei Cocchieri
CAFE
Have a pleasant breakfast at Il Tartufo. This café serves you confectionaries, Campania specialties, and savory pastries. The pastas are very good as is the cappuccino and coffee. Most of the visitors truly recommend the quick coffee at Il Tartufo before going to work.
Even though the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even brunch menus, you can take some quick bites at Panama Enocafè. The dining site has an excellent choice of savory recipes, desserts and drinks. Some available menus including antipasto, fish, soups, and biscotti.
Aside from the living room, you can also enjoy your meals at the outdoor seating areas, either in large patios or a heated terrace! Another good news is that Panama Enocafè is pet friendly and offers you free parking service as well.
Panama Enocafè
Il Tartufo
BAR AND NIGHTLIFE
Cafe del Sol is a full-service bar and restaurant, opens daily from early in the morning up to 3 a.m. (except for Saturday and Sunday). The cozy restaurant serves you delicious breakfasts, quick lunches at midday with first courses, mixed salads and sandwiches. Buffet along with aperitifs is available every Thursday and Friday evening. Have delicious meals and good drinks while enjoying live music performance.
Bar Embassy is another option for a pleasant night. It’s also a full-service bar and restaurant operating from early in the morning to 8 p.m. You’ll find different facets from the bar, starting from breakfast in the morning, continuing with lunch with a hot table, sandwiches and wraps. The bar ends with the aperitif in the evening with many savory canapes, snacks of all types, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.
Cafe del Sol
INTERESTING PLACE
One site you shouldn’t miss when visiting Sassuolo is the Montegibbio Castle. This castle lies within the circle of fortresses built to defend the Lands of Canossa which dates back to 980. This ancient castle is hidden among the high trees on the top of a hill, a few miles away from the Sassuolo town center.
Enclosed within the walls of Montegibbio Castle, there’s The Giuseppe Medici Park, a “romantic” English-style garden which extends for approximately 30 hectares where the fortress lies within. The park comprises of towering ancient trees which offers you magnificent views all year round.
The castle itself is not visitable (apart from a few guided tours a year), but there’s a nearby commune which you can visit (they produce the local balsamic vinegar), a little church and tower, and playground. You can even rent the castle court for celebrations and special occasion and pick wild blackberries in the summer, so it’s just about the timing!
Montegibbio Castle
INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOT
Apart from the town itself, there’s this picturesque children library in Sassuolo namely Villa Giacobazzi where you can take great shots at. The building once was an elegant stately home for the summer holiday of Giacobazzi accounts, one of the most influential families of the court.
The building is set in a large park and it consists of two wings with an elegant pair of staircases in the middle as the entrance. Find the perfect angle and you’ll instantly get the instagrammable pictures that you want. There are also times where the building features green walls which are quite picturesque!
Villa Giacobazzi
